The Last Four Years
by LaPantouflarde
Summary: A series of related one-shots about Regina and Killian's college years. HQ endgame.


**Author's Note:** This is something I wrote a long time ago. This will be a series of related one-shots about Regina and Killian's college years.

* * *

Freshman Year; December 1, 2011

Three months ago, Killian met Regina during a movie night in the Burke Building. He could not help but admire her from afar, and he thanked his lucky stars when Emma, who he'd met earlier that day in his Creative Writing class, turned out to be Regina's roommate. He was doomed from the start, he realized, because the moment their hands met in a handshake, he felt like everything was finally right in the world.

And yet, three months after meeting her, he had yet to go out on a date with her. It wasn't for the lack of trying because he's already tried numerous times, but Regina's insistent that what they had now was already great and that she didn't want to take that away from them. " _You're one of my best friends, Killian, and I don't want that to be ruined if this date doesn't go well. Aren't you happy with what we have now?_ " she had asked after the fifth time he (tried to) ask her out. He wanted to say that no, being friends with her wasn't enough anymore, but he knew better than to force Regina to do something she didn't want to do. So he had promised that would not try to ask her out again. If Regina only wanted to be friends, then he would just accept that and move on, just as long as she was in his life.

That didn't mean sitting beside her in the library was easy. He could smell Regina's coconut-scented hair and all he wanted to do was run his hand through it. It was hard being around her and not be able to say the things he wanted her to know, and it was getting harder day after day.

The sound of Regina's fingers tapping away on her keyboard was interrupted by the sound of a stomach growling. No one else was in this are of the library so he was sure the sound came from Regina. He chuckled at how nonchalant she was about it, and the action was met with a glare from her.

"Why are you laughing when you still have two thousand words to go?" she asked, referring to their final book report for their Literature class.

"One thousand nine hundred ninety-eight," he corrected her with a smug grin. "Thank you very much."

"Your name doesn't count."

"I take offense in that," he told her. "My name always counts."

She simply shook her head and rolled her eyes, but he could see the small smile forming on her lovely face.

"Come on," he said as he shut his laptop off. "Let's get something to eat."

"I'm not hungry," she mumbled as she flipped through the pages of _To Kill a Mockingbird_ , and at the same moment, her stomach growled once more.

"Your stomach just randomly makes noises once in a while, then?"

"Shut up," she muttered under her breath. "I'm trying to finish this book report and you should really start yours."

"I'm a fact writer," he declared. "Besides, we have at least two weeks before it's due."

"I'm telling you, you won't have time to do it when professors start assigning us more work before finals."

"Well, I can't do this report with an empty stomach, can I?"

"Then go eat."

"Come with me."

With his words, she stiffened. He knew what she was thinking. He knew where this was going. "Is this your way of asking me out again?" she asked in a low voice as she narrowed her eyes at him. There was a hardness to her gaze yet he could see fear behind them as well. "Because I told you –"

"Regina," he halted her and gave her a lopsided smile (it was more of a grimace but he hoped that it came across as a smile). "I know how you feel about…" he trailed off. He didn't know what to say, or how to describe it. Was him asking her out really that horrible for her? "I respect your decision and I promised you I would stop trying, didn't I?" he didn't mean to say it harshly but she should know by now that he wouldn't do anything that'll make her uncomfortable.

Her eyes then softened, and she nodded, "Yes."

"Then will you please come and get something to eat with me?" he asked again before adding, "As _friends_ ," he spat the word out like it was the most horrid thing in the world, and he really didn't mean it. He was just too wound up and he could see irritation flash in Regina's face, making him regret asking in the first place.

Her face hardened and returned to her typing, "Sorry, I really have to finish this report and I have another paper to write. I'll get something to eat later. I'm not hungry."

He had no patience or strength to fight her on this so he cleared his throat and stood from his chair. "Suit yourself, then. I'm heading to David's, so if you decide to take a break, you know where I'll be."

The only indication that she's heard him was her nod. Frustrated, he left without another word.

* * *

It's been two hours since Killian left and she was still in the library, typing away. She gave up on the hope that he might come back ten minutes ago. She knew that it was her fault he even snapped but she still wished that he would do what he always did and come back to make everything okay again. She couldn't concentrate on her paper when her mind was on Killian – it always was. She hated having to remind him about his promise over and over again and she knew that he would never break it… but she just had to push it, didn't she?

She closed her laptop harder than she intended and sighed heavily. She wasn't oblivious to Killian's feelings towards her despite what he believed. She knew how much he cared for her and how much she meant to him, but she didn't want to let him know that he meant a lot to her, too.

Her stomach growled again. She ignored it and forced herself to think about something else other than Killian, so she thought of all the homework she had left instead.

 _To Kill A Mockingbird_ book report: done.

Lifespan Development Psychology research paper: currently in progress.

10-page short story for Creative Writing: lol

Final study guide for Ethics: easy peasy.

Right now, all she wanted to do was sleep. Sleep and eat, and maybe read a book… or maybe even finish watching _Luther_ or any other show she hasn't finished yet.

Another noise from her stomach. She'll get something to eat after she finishes this report, or maybe after…

"Regina?" she jumped as soon as she heard him. "Apologies, I didn't mean to startle you."

She didn't look up, but she heard his footsteps come closer and closer. She was still kind of pissed at him, at their fight earlier, (and at herself), so she opened her copy of _Psychology Today_ and pretended to be in the middle of an intense reading session.

"Regina," he said again as he sat beside her. She hummed in acknowledgement and it was enough for him to start talking but instead of speaking, he placed a take-out bag from Granny's in front of her.

She eyes the bag curiously, "What… is this?"

He raised a brow, "Food."

"I didn't ask for any."

"I know."

She stared at him in surprise. Killian was always thoughtful – he knew what she needed all the time – but she didn't expect him to… well, this. Especially after a fight. She realized that she was staring at him, so she quickly looked away and hoped that he didn't catch the stupid grin she was sure was on her face. She cleared her throat, "Thanks."

She reached inside the bag and took out a plastic box containing kale salad, and a cookie. Now, she would normally be satisfied with the salad but she was famished and all she could see was the cookie. She stretched out her hand to grab the baked good but then Killian swiped it before she could grab a hold of it.

"Oi! That's mine!" he laughed, waving the cookie in front of her. "This was the last one!"

"Oh," she tried not to sound too disappointed because well, he _did_ buy her kale salad and that should have been enough for her… but her eyes lingered on the cookie for a few seconds before deciding that it was no use to crave for it. Her eyes drifted to the man beside her and felt her cheeks go red at the intensity of his gaze. "Thanks again for the salad," she forced a smile before adding, "How did you know I would still be here?"

As if he was embarrassed to be caught staring at her, he looked down and scratched the back of his neck with a nervous laugh, "I, uh, Emma… she called me and asked where you were. So, I figured you were still here and that you still haven't gone out to get something to eat."

"I _was_ going to," she told him as she opened the box containing her dinner and started picking on it with the plastic fork that was included in the take-out bag. "I just… forgot."

He raised his brow – something she found charming. "You forgot to eat? You didn't notice how hungry you were?"

Her eyes landed on the cookie again and she absentmindedly licked her lower lip. She really, _really_ wanted that damn cookie.

"Here," he suddenly pushed the cookie towards her.

She furrowed her brows in annoyance. She will not take a pity-cookie from him, ever. "I –"

"I'm stuffed anyway. David made his _famous_ ham, bacon, and cheese sandwich. I ate two of them."

"I –"

"I had a cookie before I left the diner as well, and if I eat another one I think my stomach might explode."

Liar. He just said that it was the last cookie – but she thought it sweet that he would say that just so it didn't look like he was giving it to her out of pity. (Why does she have such a big problem with the pity-cookie? He was giving it to her and why was she being picky?) Despite herself, she reached out to grab it. Then suddenly, his hand was on top of hers."

"Regina," he said softly. Her eyes were focused on their hands. "I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier. I don't like it when we fight and it makes me… I don't know, I just don't like it."

The feel of his hand on hers made her calm, and it also didn't. It confused her. _It_ being her feelings, (why, why, why?). She turned her hand over and closed it around his. "I'm sorry too," she murmured under her breath. She hardly ever apologized for anything – even if it was _her_ fault – and she knew that. So she wasn't surprised to see the shock on Killian's face.

With wide eyes, he but his bottom lip with a smirk. "Why, Regina Mills, I really thought you'd only ever apologize when pigs fly."

She pulled her hand away, took a piece of kale, and aimed it at his face. "Asshole."

He let out a hearty laugh, "I'm _your_ asshole, though."

She waited for him to comprehend what he just said. It took him a while but when he did, his cheeky smile faded. "I… I didn't mean that."

"Of course you didn't."

"Regina."

"What?"

"I really am… sorry."

"I am, too."

"Now, eat," he pointed to the cookie, quirking a brow at her. "Then I'm taking you back to your room. You need to rest."

She took a bite and with her mouth full – it was out of character for her but she was ravenous and the cookie was really, _really_ delicious, she said, "I can take care of myself."

"I know."

She smiled at him, "Good."


End file.
